Arvind Kejriwal calls off stir, says its victory of people

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal during the 2nd day protest against police near Rail Bhavan in New Delhi. (PTI photo)

Supporters of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal shout anti-police slogans close to the area where Kejriwal spent the night during a dharna in New Delhi. (AFP ...

A supporter of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal spent the night on the street during a dharna in New Delhi. (AFP photo)

Delhi CM Kejriwal during the 2nd day protest against police near Rail Bhavan in New Delhi. (PTI photo)

A supporter of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal spent the night on the street during a dharna in New Delhi. (AFP photo)

Supporters of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal wake up at dawn after having spent the night on the street during a dharna in New Delhi. ...

Supporters of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal shout anti-police slogans close to the area where Kejriwal spent the night during a dharna in New Delhi. (AFP ...

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is surrounded by supporters following a night sleeping on the pavement during a dharna in New Delhi. (AFP photo)

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is stopped by Delhi Police at a barricade erected to prevent supporters joining him during a dharna in New Delhi. (AFP ...

A supporter of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal wears a trash bin top over his head on a rainy morning during a dharna in New Delhi. ...

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday called off his protest after Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung appealed the stir be ended keeping in mind the issue of national security ahead of Republic Day celebrations. The L-G partially agreed to the demands raised by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Kejriwal told cheering supporters after dark.

“The LG said two police officials whose suspension we had demanded are being sent on leave pending a judicial inquiry into the matter of negligence. Let’s end the protest here today. It is a victory of the people of Delhi,” a seemingly weak Kejriwal announced on Tuesday evening.

Kejriwal had called a 10-day protest on Monday, demanding action against police officials who refused to raid an alleged drug and prostitution ring in south Delhi on the orders of law minister Somnath Bharti.

He also wanted action against Delhi Police officials after a 51-year-old Danish woman was gang-raped in central Delhi on Tuesday last week.

However, the L-G said in a letter to the CM that the police officials would only be sent on leave and not suspended.

He, however, failed to secure his main demand that the city's police force be put under his government's control. The central government refused to agree because of Delhi's status as the national capital.

“The police also arrested the people responsible for setting the woman afire in Sagarpur. We are happy that they acted after earlier refusing to do anything,” the Delhi CM told the people gathered for protests near Rail Bhavan in the heart of Delhi.

Kejriwal said after calling off his stir that the L-G’s action was the first step towards the party’s goal of achieving full-statehood for Delhi.

The Delhi CM and AAP supporters earlier intensified their stir on a chilly and rainswept Tuesday, triggering chaos for the second successive day in the Capital.

At least 30 people were injured after AAP supporters defied the police and jumped barricades to reach the CM who started the protests on Monday and is leading it from a makeshift podium in central Delhi.

The 44-year-old chief minister slept outside on the pavement on Monday night after beginning his protest earlier in the day.

Aides brought him files for the administration of the city of 17 million people as he sat with other members of the cabinet at the protest site, near buildings housing the presidency, Parliament and ministries.

Both the Delhi Police, which functions under the Union home ministry and a few ministers of the Delhi government had reached the doors of Lt Governor Jung over the matter last week. Jung had then ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident.